The beautiful wedding of Jan and Rachel took place at the Town Hall in Sheffield followed by the reception at the Botanical Gardens. It was one of those perfect summer days where everything was just right for an outdoor reception – hosted superbly by the Curator’s House. What a great privilege to try and capture Jan and Rachel’s day. One of the many highlights was watching Uncle Keith (who I think it’s fair to say is a bit of a character) reduce 100 guests to silence with his rendition of Paul Simon’s Kathy’s Song. Here is a sneak preview of the wedding day photographs.
A gallery showing all the images from the Royal Maundy visit at Sheffield Cathedral is up and running at Smug Mug. Downloads and prints also available with all profits going towards the excellent Sheffield Cathedral Homeless Project.
For a few fleeting moments time ceases to exist, you are flying, at one with the ocean and feeling something akin to pure joy! That’s my experience of surfing (even speaking as a pretty poor surfer). The story below is about Lyndon Wake who is a pro surfer based in North Devon and who also runs a surf school. Having first bumped into Lyndon last year at Baggy Lodge café (as a family trying to escape the wind and the rain) we took the chance to sign up for lessons – both myself and my boys. It was so refreshing to learn and to see my boys learn from someone who was so enthusiastic, knowledgeable, inspiring and encouraging. It’s how it should be when it comes to any learning – but surely no “subject” more so than surfing! A completely different experience to any other surf school I have tried in…
In August 1875 Captain Matthew Webb dived off the pier in Dover and swam to Calais. Totalling 39 miles (because of tidal fluctuations), numerous jellyfish stings and drinking a couple of shots of brandy on the way “for warmth”, he was the first man to swim the English Channel. I love this story – partly because I am distantly related to Captain Webb, partly because I love swimming (although I should hasten to add, no talent was passed on) and partly because it is a great adventure story against all the odds. Fast forward 140 years and Alistair Beattie is going to attempt to make the crossing in September this year! 21 miles of relentless open water swimming (but more like 30 because of the strong tidal currents) – no wet suit, schools of jellyfish and one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. He’s doing it to raise…
I first met Vito when he took over the sponsorship of a local football team I played for. A couple of years into the sponsorship Vito hosted a trip for our team to visit Bella, his home town – a couple of hours East from Naples. There were a number of highlights – playing against Vito’s home team in the most sublime location – taking on a Seria C team (I want to add that we beat them too but that wouldn’t be true!) – and mistakenly being taken for a professional English team. The thing I remember most though was the incredibly genuine, warm and generous hospitality offered by Vito and his friends and family. This hospitality is evident on a visit to his restaurant in Walkley. It’s also rated as one of the top ten restaurants in Sheffield. Here is a glimpse of his story…. What’s your story of getting…
I had the great privilege of being asked by Sheffield Cathedral to be their official photographer for the visit of the Queen today. The distribution of the Maundy money goes back to 1210 and actually started in Yorkshire. From a photographer’s perspective it was very exciting to get an intimate view of the proceedings. At other times I was led by palace officials a long way away from the action so as to be as unobtrusive as possible. Totally reasonable but also a feeling of being so close but so far at times. I loved documenting the occasion and trying to capture the day as it unfolded. There was so much going on – choirs warming up, recipients arriving to be seated (an hour before the queen arrived), church clergy preparing, the Yeoman of the Guard moving to position, the crowd gathering in anticipation outside – I love photography like…
As you walk towards Gerry’s Bakery there is an enticing and heart warming smell of bread, cumin, figs and roasted caraway seeds! Gerry makes good bread – it’s wholesome, unpretentious, very tasty, unique and genuine. The bakery/cafe is equally inviting – simple, welcoming and a place that draws people in. If you’ve been there you’ll most likely know what I mean and if not and you live near Walkley give it a try and see what you think… What’s your story of getting into baking bread? I’ve always cooked but I fancied making bread – I wasn’t very good though! A friend bought me some flour and I tried it but it was a disaster. I tried a year later and it was still a disaster…But after nine attempts I got a dough that was manageable and actually looked like a dough. Once I’d done that I couldn’t stop. I…
HERE IS A SERIES OF BRIEF stories about people who follow a passion – starting with my mum! Jacqueline Frances Anderson is a pianist. She loves the piano. As a child there was always the sound of the piano being played. Away from home she was accompanying singers, choirs, sometimes playing in her local church and occasionally getting to play in venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and the Festival Hall in London. Now in her 80’s she still plays most days and still performs – currently going into old people’s homes to play for residents. My three boys and I went to watch her play recently. The highlights for my boys was possibly the constant stream of sweets being offered to them by a lady on the front row but for me it was to see the look of joy and reverie on some of the faces of those watching….
I was shooting in my sister’s kitchen up in Harrogate for the exceptional Tipple Tails fruit cake range a couple of weeks ago. Whilst there my brother in law’s father Len popped in on a visit. He’s a total gentleman and a character! After finishing the cakes (photographing not eating!) I had one minute before needing to rush back to pick up the kids from school. This is what I got. I love this photo – I reckon it simply tells you a lot about Len without needing words…..